A wise woman once said, " 'Normal' is a setting on a washing
machine."

Historically, people believed that non-disabled people were essentially
cut from the same pattern. Within some religions, this was thought to reflect
God's image. Only disabled people were different - and by extension, ungodly.

But today science teaches us that we are all different. Just as
we are all a unique mixture of strengths and weaknesses - emotional, intellectual
and physical - and these vary widely over our lifetimes, the tiniest details
of our bodies are unique too.

Even identical twins are completely different people. And just
as their personalities are different, the ways in which their genes operate
are subtly affected by even minute environmental differences from the womb onwards.
Under a microscope, you can even tell twins apart.

***

What makes us human has nothing to do with emotional, intellectual
and physical strengths and weaknesses, or by how closely we conform to the average.
After people have been segregated for most of their lives, they are often surprised
to discover this when they later have sustained contact with disabled people.

In the end, either we are human, or we are not. Being human is
what matters, rather than ideas of ab/normality.